Anonymous wrote:My partner interviewed locally for Harvard and was very surprised to find that so many TJ applicants were offered admission compared to other area high schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The funny thing about TJ is it is a lot like MIT. The students are amazing. The facilities are great. The teaching...Meh. The thing about TJ is the kids learn on their own (or in groups).

Just like MIT. Faculty at MIT are rated not for teaching but for research. That is their focus. If you want good college teaching, go to a school that focuses on teaching, not research. I went to both -- started at a small school, transferred to a major research school (not MIT, but close). At the small school, the professors were interested in the undergrads...they would include them in research, and it was important to see them learn. At the research school, I was an annoyance.

At TJ, the teachers are judged by student performance, but guess what? Almost all perform. It takes no effort to teach at TJ -- tell them what you are going to teach for the next week, and the kids will learn it.

I am one who thinks TJ is not worth is. MIT is not worth it (for undergrad; grad is a research degree and a different story).

While the facilities are good at TJ, most students -- even TJ students -- do not have the experience to take advantage of those.

I'm really curious about this because I posted earlier that I thought the one good reason to go to TJ was for a kid who's into STEM to have access to the equipment and facilities. Are you speaking from experience? Don't they train the kids? Who uses all that stuff, then?

I don't think that poster knew what they were talking about. I am a TJ grad. I can say that the part of the TJ experience is learning how to use all of the fancy equipment properly. The teachers are not doing independent research with them.

I maybe could have been clearer. The students at TJ are not doing any research that requires the equipment. They may learn how to use it, but they will not have the intellectual guidance to formulate questions that require that level of equipment to answer.

Anonymous wrote:PP, well it is.

Anonymous wrote:My partner interviewed locally for Harvard and was very surprised to find that so many TJ applicants were offered admission compared to other area high schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid says TJ was worth it but too much studying. He thinks college will be much easier!

Is he going to comm college?

He is going to a university considered one of the best in the world.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid says TJ was worth it but too much studying. He thinks college will be much easier!

Is he going to comm college?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW: Stats for McLean HS for 2015:

VPI 160/101/40
W&M 94/47/18
UVA 134/50/31

So almost 20% of MHS go to these three schools.

Omg, not to hijack this thread but only 50/134 McLean HS students got into UVA?! My kids are younger but I didn't realize it was that competitive. We are only budgeting for state schools.

Your kids should aim for TJ since TJ typically average about 190 acceptances per year. Some TJ kids take the minimum required math and science courses.

Anonymous wrote:My kid says TJ was worth it but too much studying. He thinks college will be much easier!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW: Stats for McLean HS for 2015:

VPI 160/101/40
W&M 94/47/18
UVA 134/50/31

So almost 20% of MHS go to these three schools.

Omg, not to hijack this thread but only 50/134 McLean HS students got into UVA?! My kids are younger but I didn't realize it was that competitive. We are only budgeting for state schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The funny thing about TJ is it is a lot like MIT. The students are amazing. The facilities are great. The teaching...Meh. The thing about TJ is the kids learn on their own (or in groups).

Just like MIT. Faculty at MIT are rated not for teaching but for research. That is their focus. If you want good college teaching, go to a school that focuses on teaching, not research. I went to both -- started at a small school, transferred to a major research school (not MIT, but close). At the small school, the professors were interested in the undergrads...they would include them in research, and it was important to see them learn. At the research school, I was an annoyance.

At TJ, the teachers are judged by student performance, but guess what? Almost all perform. It takes no effort to teach at TJ -- tell them what you are going to teach for the next week, and the kids will learn it.

I am one who thinks TJ is not worth is. MIT is not worth it (for undergrad; grad is a research degree and a different story).

While the facilities are good at TJ, most students -- even TJ students -- do not have the experience to take advantage of those.

I'm really curious about this because I posted earlier that I thought the one good reason to go to TJ was for a kid who's into STEM to have access to the equipment and facilities. Are you speaking from experience? Don't they train the kids? Who uses all that stuff, then?

I don't think that poster knew what they were talking about. I am a TJ grad. I can say that the part of the TJ experience is learning how to use all of the fancy equipment properly. The teachers are not doing independent research with them.

I maybe could have been clearer. The students at TJ are not doing any research that requires the equipment. They may learn how to use it, but they will not have the intellectual guidance to formulate questions that require that level of equipment to answer.